Sunlight Lane

Sunlight Dorothy Lane flew away to her next adventure surrounded by her earth angels, the air filled with songs and prayers. Born to Dorothy Moody Lane and Harry William Lane in Albuquerque, N.M., her family moved to the orange groves north of San Bernardino, Calif., when she was two. She grew up surrounded by her family's groves. From an early age, she loved chickens and animals of all kinds. Until her passing, she had an orange every morning. She attended Stanford University, majoring in biology and graduating in 1947. She received a Master's Degree in Cellular Physiology at the University of Chicago in 1951. Her career was in the field of microbial genetics and molecular biology, and she did biological research in medical labs in New York and in Paris.

Sunlight was an avid gardener, botanist and environmentalist and studied Social Ecology at Goddard College in 1974. She designed, drew up blueprints and built her passive solar home in Albion when she was in her 70s, doing much of the carpentry and tile work herself. Sunlight was a published author, writing books about women's community, spirituality, nature and the creatures of the earth. She was an anti-nuclear activist. Her book, "A View from Diablo," tells of her experience protesting the Diablo Canyon Nuclear facility.

Sunlight became sober in 1971. The Twelve Step program defined her life thereafter. She inspired and gave courage to so many. Her smile, her twinkle and love generously shone on all she met. She will be deeply missed.

She is survived by her nephews Bill and Steve Lane, her great nephews Eli Saunders and Wade Simms, her adopted daughter Mishwa Lee, her dear companion, Minoux, her land partner Meadow and a huge number of devoted friends and family of spirit. Her memorial will be held before Thanksgiving (date and place to be announced).